


Anchor of the Earth

by crxnkcity



Category: Arc of a Scythe Series - Neal Shusterman
Genre: Established Relationship, F/F, curie's mentioned, faraday is too, hey shusterman, just a little bit, softcore angst, they're gay, why can't there be lesbians, wow this is kinda short oops
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-05
Updated: 2020-01-05
Packaged: 2021-02-27 05:20:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,260
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22121707
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/crxnkcity/pseuds/crxnkcity
Summary: “I don’t want to leave you, but I don’t want to leave Earth either.”Loriana looked at Munira, the golden light from the sunrise shining on her soft face, illuminating a pain in her eyes that Loriana hadn’t seen in a while.“What’s holding you back?” she asked, placing a hand on Munira’s cheek. Munira smiled and leaned into her hand.“Lots of things, I think.” She sighed. “I need some time to think about it, even though we don’t have much of it.”Or, Munira reminiscing on the things she'll miss about Earth.(Spoilers for The Toll!)
Relationships: Munira Atrushi/Loriana Barchok
Comments: 10
Kudos: 12





	Anchor of the Earth

**Author's Note:**

> baby's first fic! well, not really. just the first one i've posted. i'm very nervous about it. thank you ashi for helping me come up with this idea during one of our 12 am missing-curie-conversations, and thanks op for the title!! also thanks elly and ashi for being my beta readers! <3 ily guys! 
> 
> anyways, i really think these two would've been adorable together, so i had to write something for them!! it also would've been interesting to munira's thought process if she had decided to go to space as well, so here we are... i hope you enjoy!!

“I don’t want to leave you, but I don’t want to leave Earth either.”

Loriana looked at Munira, the golden light from the sunrise shining on her soft face, illuminating a pain in her eyes that Loriana hadn’t seen in a while. 

“What’s holding you back?” she asked, placing a hand on Munira’s cheek. Munira smiled and leaned into her hand.

“Lots of things, I think.” She sighed. “I need some time to think about it, even though we don’t have much of it.”

Loriana nodded, knowing it was true. They assumed the spaceships were due to launch soon, and who knows if there would ever be another opportunity to do something like this again. Loriana had decided to go because of that, and it wasn’t hard for her. There wasn’t much left for her on Earth -she had seen that when the Thunderhead went silent- so deciding to leave was easy. But she knew it was harder for Munira. She had a life outside of these atolls, and despite her being away for three years, there was always a place for her to go back to. Loriana was amazed that she was even considering leaving Earth, and felt honored that she was the reason why Munira was considering it. And because of that, Loriana knew she had to be there to help Munira decide, and was more than willing to do so.

“I’ll be here for you, then.” Loriana said. “I’ll help you decide.”

Munira smiled and softly removed Loriana’s hand from her face, intertwining her fingers with it instead. “Thank you.” She whispered, the light in her eyes now capturing the warmth they always held. 

—

The first thing came to her that afternoon, being perhaps the most obvious for her. She was going to miss the Library of Alexandria. It was her safe-haven, the place where she could read the stories of others who did so much for the world, and live vicariously through them. It comforted her when she felt alone, when she felt like she didn’t have much of a purpose. And even after living on the atoll for three years, she found herself longing to go back. To feel a purpose again. The things she did on the atoll didn’t help for the greater cause that everyone else was here for - they were for a long forgotten mission that no one else was a part of anymore. It pained her to admit, but her presence wasn’t needed here anymore . Everything would flow smoothly without her. The dreams she had once had for this place were long forgotten, and in their place were the dreams of others who had come after her, with different desires and motives, even if they didn’t know what those were at first. And that hurt. In the Library of Alexandria, even if people didn’t come often, her reason to be there was clear. People always asked her for help, and she could always deliver for them. A simple task, but one she always knew how to do. And here on the atolls she didn’t ever have that. 

But part of it was nice. To not have to worry about things, and explore the island on her own free will. And to be able to fall in love with someone freely, openly, and without a care in the world. She had to admit that she didn’t ever get to feel that way when she was back at the Library of Alexandria. So maybe it would be nice. Nice to continue that feeling of freedom. And if she were to go into space, were to go to the new planets, she could restart, and make a good reputation for herself. That would be nice. That would be really nice.

—

The second thing came to her when she was reading in the evening with Loriana, who was reading one of Munira’s favorite pieces. It was one of Scythe Curie’s journals. Munira had gotten it reprinted before she left with Faraday, and read it most days every since. She adored reading it because it was one of the earlier journals in Scythe Curie's career, and hearing about how the world was still adjusting to such drastic changes was something she was fascinated by. Seeing the rises and falls of such a powerful group of people, being there to see history being made was something that Munira admired a lot about her. It was something she wish she could've been there to see.

And she realized that, if she went to space, she wouldn't have that amazement anymore. That starstruck feeling that she always took comfort in. On a new planet, there would be nothing for her - nothing to look back at, to take reference from. There would be no texts of economic development, of political parties or social constructs. Nothing for her to pore over in her times of boredom or curiosity, to take note of and wonder how it would work in the present. It was a terrifying thought. 

But then again, she realized that she wouldn't be looking back on it, she would be making it, and isn't that what she wanted, deep down? Isn't that why she escaped to the Library of Alexandria after her failed apprenticeship, to the one place that kept the past in the present, instead of drowning in her sorrows? Even if she wasn't making it - she could still be serving for it. But if she went into space, to a new planet, she would be doing the one thing she desired most. To make history, and to be there, and to not be forgotten.

Maybe it wouldn't be so bad.

\--

The last came to her on a walk with Loriana that same evening. She has seen it, like a small star in the vast expanse of space, and grabbed it. Held on to it. It was a piece of Faraday's robes, tattered and worn down, somehow stuck to a plant that had seemed to have claimed it long ago. She hadn't seen Faraday in a while, and hadn't realized until now, but she missed him. Even though he had abandoned her, he was also the one who had brought her to these atolls in the first place. The one who had brought her out of her shell, convinced her to go to a place she didn't even know existed four years ago. She would have never been able to do that herself, and she was grateful for him because of it.

"Gonna miss him?" Loriana asked, looking at the tattered piece of fabric in her hand.

"Begrudgingly," Munira sighed, "yes."

"Begrudgingly?" Loriana asked, laughing lightly at Munira's stubbornness.

"Yeah." She said, resting her head on Loriana's shoulder as they continued walking. "He.. hurt me. When he left. When he gave up on our goals. But he also brought me here, and brought me to you, so I do have a little bit of a reason to thank him." 

\--

And then, when they were watching the sunset that evening, Munira found she had came to her conclusion.

"I'll go with you," she said softly, watching the sun slowly dip beneath the ocean. 

"You will?" Loriana asked, surprised that Munira was going to come with her. She was beyond excited, but also worried, knowing it was a hard decision for her to make. 

"Yeah." Munira smiled, squeezing Loriana's hand. "I need a new start. I'm ready for one. And I want to do it with you."

And she found that easier to say than she thought it would be.

**Author's Note:**

> still crying over the end of the toll... it's been a month and i'm still not over it
> 
> i'd like to write more fic for lori and munira though! i love them a lot and i really want to contribute more for this fandom! let's hope i'll have the motivation to finish another fic..


End file.
